Cosmetic Surgery Trends Upward

2013 Statistics from the US and UK Document Rise on Both Sides of the Pond

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - New data from the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) shows that US dermatologic surgeons performed 9.5 million treatments in 2013, up from nearly 8 million in 2012. Skin cancer procedures topped the ASDS list. Dermatologic surgeons performed 3.04 million skin cancer treatments in 2013, up 13 percent from the previous year, which regrettably indicates that skin cancer is also on the rise and hopefully more people are getting diagnoses and treated earlier. This includes nearly 190,000 for the potentially fatal form of skin cancer melanoma, a 27 percent increase from 2012.

Cosmetic procedures were also trending upward, the ASDS reports. Laser, light and energy-based procedures rose by 34 percent in 2013, not surprisingly. Wrinkle-relaxing injections BOTOX Cosmetic, Dysport and Xeomin were up by 20 percent, and soft-tissue fillers including Restylane, Juvederm and Radiesse were up 8.6 percent. These findings demonstrate the steady growth of minimally invasive, non-surgical, wash and wear treatments that offer consumers a wide range of safe and effective options.

And across the pond, things are also looking up. New statistics from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) also show an across the board, double digit rise in cosmetic surgery procedures in the UK in 2013. BAAPS numbers show that there were 50,000 cosmetic surgery procedures performed. This increase rivals what was seen in the pre-recession plastic surgery glory days of 2008 when nips and tucks were de rigeur. Overall, the number of cosmetic procedures in the UK increased 17 percent on average since 2012. Liposuction popularity soared by 41 percent in the UK. In the US, liposuction seems to have taken a back seat to non-surgical body contouring systems that freeze, melt and remodel fat deposits and are readily available in all corners of the country.

Of note, there was a 13 percent increase in breast augmentation with implants in 2013 in the UK, just two years after the egregious Poly Implant Prostheses (PIP) breast implant scandal rocked Europe. PIP implants were filled with industrial grade silicone, and as a result are widely considered to be more prone to rupture. The scandal had wide-reaching implications for those affected and led to the development of a national registry that tracks every breast implant operation performed in England. Clearly this setback did not permanently dampen women's enthusiasm for breast enhancement surgery.

"2013 saw the greatest rise in cosmetic surgery since the onset of the recession with double digit percentage increases in all procedures across the board. Patient confidence and also consumer confidence has returned with Britons choosing to spend on procedures with a proven track record such as liposuction which remains the gold standard for body contouring. The rise of cosmetic surgery includes statistics from right across the UK as well as representing the whole spectrum of ages as each of the different procedures are undertaken by a totally different demographic," commented BAAPS President London Plastic Surgeon Rajiv Grover.

He added, "The continued double digit rise of cosmetic surgery underlines the fact that whether it is breast augmentation or antiaging procedures like facelifting, consumers are choosing tried and tested surgical methods rather than the quick fixes that fail to deliver promised results. The continued increase in male plastic surgery illustrates the popularity of cosmetic surgery amongst men with again a large increase seen in the treatment of "moobs" (man boobs). The BAAPS has recently established the National Institute of Aesthetic Research (NIAR) based at the Royal College of Surgeons to investigate which new treatments really deliver what they say and therefore take the "hocus pocus" out of choosing a cosmetic treatment."

While several other major players have yet to release their annual statistics, it is fair to say that we can expect to see more of the same. 2014 may prove to be an even better year for cosmetic dermatologists and plastic surgeons, as well as men and women seeking to stay looking youthful, vital and competitive.

Wendy Lewis is President of Wendy Lewis & Co Ltd Global Aesthetics Consultancy, author of 11 books and Founder/Editor in Chief of http://www.beautyinthebag.com

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